WOMAN'S WORLD

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3141, 20 July 1917, Page 3

WOMAN'S WORLD

4 : (Continued from page 2.) FRENCH SOLDIERS IN WELLINGTON DECEPTION AT RETURNED SOLDIERS' CLUB. Yesterday evening a reception to tho French soldiers who are at present visiting Wellington was given by the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Club in conjunction .with tho Committee'of tho Sol- . diers' CluU in Sydney .'Street. .There was a very large gathering of prominent Wellington citizens and returned soldiers and their friends in honour of the occasion; indeed, so large was the attendance that it was impossible to find room for them all.-"Members of the Returned -Soldiers' Club' Committee, .and Mrs. Coleridge .and. Mrs: C. Earle (of the Sydney Street Soldiers'- Club) receivcd. The club has seldom looked so attractive aswt did on. this occasion, flowers and flags of all kinds being used • with much effect/the French flag natur-. ally occupying a. prominent -place. Mr. Biss, the chairman of the Club Committee,' briefly welcomed the French soldiers and said how very glad they were to welcome them among them all.

Tho fine work which they had done while lighting in France was not altogether unknown to -Wellington, fourteen ot them having won decorations that were equal to our Victoria Cross. These soldiers had been born iu New Caledonia; 201)0 of them had left lor service in France, and 1000 natives. For seven months they had been training in New Caledonia and for four months in Frace. Since then they had been twenty months in the firing lines, and had fought in the Sonime battles, at Verdun kiwi at Salonika. The magnificent way in which they had fought would be an object-lesson to future generations. jJajor-General Kir Alfred Ilobiu also added his welcome and. said that there >ias a bond of union between their visitors and New Zealanders, in that they both - belonged to island colonies, the one being colonial French and the other colonial English. In 1913, General went t oii to eay, he had had some experience 'with tljf French forces when manoeuvring in the south-west of France, lie hacf had the privilege of being at Headquarters, Field-Marshal Joifre being in command. His confrere, Colonel Ligge (of the' Australian Forces), and himself were greatly struck with the attention' to detail, the oarefulness and economy that were shown by the French . troops, and after an attack had been, made upon a certain hill by 10,000 men in .the course of the manoeuvres they both set out to see how much Government property was left behind as wastage. All they found was a woodeju stop-

per of a water-bottle, and one other relic. Such was their extraordinary discipline and attention to orders. When visiting Buckle Street, where the soldiers are billeted, he found them both comfortable and happy. He had offered them tho hospitality of 'i'renthnm Camp for tho remainder of their stay in Wellington, if they cared to camp there He hoped that their stay would be as pleasant as possible.'"

Surgeon-General Henderson also expressed the great pleasure which he felt a.t welcoming the French soldiers that evening. It was at Toulon, in 18!H), that he first came into contact with soldiers of their nation, under ono of their finest Generals. He was very glad to have met them, and he wished them bon voyage when the time came for them to leave New Zealand.

Mr. Wilford was another speaker who extended a hearty welcomo to the soldiers, aiid in doing so expressed Mie ■treat admiration which all felt for the splendid valour of the French. Mr. Fox. ou hehalf of the returned soldiers, also added n welcome speech, and apologised for the unavoidable absence of the Prime Minister, the Hon. A. T;. Herdman. and the Hon. G. TP. Uussell. He was most pleased to see so large a gathering as was present to "10 honour to their Ernests, and he stated that it showed that the prejudice that had existed ueainst. soldiers' clubs had at last broken down. It had taken a year to do it. He also made the announcement that n dance for their guests was to be (riven bv the Sydney Street Soldiers' Club on Saturday night week, to which returned soldiers were also invited.

Two representatives of the French soldiers also spoke, and thanked the club for the welcome that had been extended to them. One o fthesneakers said that the recention which had heen »!ven them was the "top of all." He was quite sure that with stifih Allies as they had I"ranee would soon have the murderer William and his hordes driven out of devastated France.

The interpreters of several of the speeches were Madame Deeloene and Mr. C. Wilson. Musical and elocutionary items were civen by Mr. Mimrn, Miss Nottingham (of ChristchurcliV Sergeant Mackellar. and Mr.. Musso. 'phe singing of tho "Marseillaise" began the evening, and the National Anthem endqtfythe formal welcome. Snipper in the" tea-rnom lqistftirs followed, and afterwards a dance, which tlje ' French soldiers thoioughly enjoyed. ' Among those present during the reception were, in addition to the speakers! Mrs. and Miss Massey, Sir •Tames Carroll, Sir Robert and Lady Stout, Mr. and Mrs. A. Gray, Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Smith,-and many others.